World Cup 2014: Socceroos show courage and development in brave loss to Chile

The Socceroos can rightly be praised for a brave World Cup performance against Chile despite a 3-1 loss, with increasing signs the national side has turned a corner.

Australia - the lowest ranked team in the World Cup in Brazil - remains on course for its expected early exit from the tournament, but the team would have gained many admirers after taking the game to highly fancied Chile.

The two-goal margin disguises the fact that for long periods, Australia was genuinely dominating the match, with Chile forced onto the back foot as the underdogs relentlessly hunted for an equaliser.

Ultimately, Chile's pedigree saw it hold on before scoring a sucker-punch third goal on the counter to see off the Australian threat.

For those who feared a string of drubbings in Brazil, however, the Cuiaba performance was the perfect tonic, demonstrating coach Ange Postecoglou has already made important changes for the better.

Already, so soon into Postecoglou's short tenure as national coach, Australia is looking much more of a footballing package than its world ranking of 62 suggests.

The former Melbourne Victory and Brisbane Roar coach's blueprint of possession football has improved the Socceroos passing interchanges immeasurably, with the side truly able to at least compete alongside top European and South American sides in the passing game.

At the back, rookie mistakes saw Alexis Sanchez and Jorge Valdivia score two goals in lightning-quick succession, and for many fans, the memories of the 4-0 World Cup defeat to Germany were resurfacing.

Those defensive errors - including Matthew Spiranovic getting caught flat-footed against Sanchez and Mat Ryan's shaky positioning - are symptomatic of the youthful nature of the squad.

But to recover from 2-0 down, in front of a boisterous crowd clearly rocking for Chile's cause, and to hit the ascendancy like Australia did is what will live long in the memory.

Youth could have been the excuse to go gently into the night after Chile's double strike. Instead, Postecoglou's young charges showed a burgeoning maturity to turn the game on its head, via Tim Cahill's trademark heading ability.

Any doubts over who is Australia's greatest-ever player must surely be subsiding as the former Everton star again rose highest in the box to nod home from an Ivan Franjic cross.

That goal shifted the Socceroos into another gear, finishing the half and starting the second very strongly.

Mathew Leckie: key stats

Summing up Australia's recovery were Mathew Leckie and Jason Davidson. Leckie had an awful first half until Tim Cahill's goal, making bad decisions and poor touches to concede possession.

But after Cahill pulled one back for Australia, Leckie came alive, charging at the Chile defence with incisive runs, at least two of which could have produced goals on another day.

Jason Davidson: key stats

Intercepts: 3

Clearances: 5

Shots blocked: 1

Successful crosses: 3/7

Successful long balls: 2/7

Davidson, meanwhile, had a storming game. There has been criticism over his previous performances in the national jersey, but in Cuiaba he was truly Mr Reliable.

All five of his clearances in the match were effective, while he also chipped in with three intercepts and a block in defence.

Going forward, he linked up superbly with Australia's ever-changing left flank as Leckie, Tommy Oar and Ben Halloran all combined for one-two passes with the left-back.

Chile's greatest compliment to Australia was subbing off attacking midfielder Valdivia in the second half for full-back Jean Beausejour in an effort to shore up the match as the men in gold ramped up the pressure.

After struggling to create a single shot of substance in the warm-up against Croatia, Australia's attackers became a chance-creation factory.

Group B

Cahill nodded another cross past Claudio Bravo only to be correctly ruled offside, before Mark Bresciano hit a stinging low shot that looked like the equaliser until Bravo pulled off a stunning save down low.

The only downside for the team is Franjic's hamstring injury, which will test the depth at right-back.

Ryan McGowan deputised in Franjic's place and performed adequately, while Bailey Wright will be in for a baptism of fire if he's picked against the Dutch or Spain.

Realistic Socceroos fans expected very little return from Group B and an early exit, but at least wanted the new coaching regime to bear fruit in improved, passionate performances to be proud of.

After the display against Chile, Australia can at least tick off that requirement ahead of a tough clash with the Netherlands.